The week’s essential new releases

ALBUM OF THE WEEK
STRAVINSKY
Le Sacre du Printemps, Petrushka
Les Siècles, cond François-Xavier RothMusicales Actes Sud ASM15
“As heard at the scandalous 1913 world première” is the gist of Roth’s claims
for this first period-instrument recording of The Rite — with special
permission from Boosey & Hawkes, which usually only authorises
performances of Stravinsky’s 1967 edition. It’s certainly hard to imagine
the first performance, under Pierre Monteux, being as well played as this,
as Les Siècles follow up their revelatory account of the complete Firebird
score. The sound of their French-made turn-of-the-century (mostly 1880s to
1920s) instruments throws fresh light on these modern masterpieces: a tuba,
two-thirds the size of modern ones, by Adolphe Sax, inventor of the
saxophone; and wonderful Buffet Crampon clarinets and bassoons. The Rite’s
famous bassoon solo is played without the octave key invented to make this
very music less difficult to play. One can’t